Gaza government media outlet: Rafah crossing is operating normally News

The government media office said in Gaza stripthat Rafah crossing Today, Saturday, the border crossing is operating normally, denying “rumors” that the crossing has been closed, and the White House said that Israel will allow aid trucks to enter Gaza.

The government media office said – in a statement on the Telegram platform – that “the Rafah border crossing was operating normally on Saturday, and we deny rumors that the crossing was closed.”

This statement came hours after the Palestinian Red Crescent Society issued a statement in which it said that the Israeli occupation forces informed it – and all organizations and entities operating at the Rafah land crossing – that they prevented the entry of aid trucks from the Egyptian side into the Gaza Strip, starting from Friday until further notice.

She added that Israel informed her that the crossing must be “emptied of the trucks on the Palestinian side as soon as possible.”

On Thursday, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society announced the entry of 56 aid trucks into Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, bringing the number of trucks sent to 310 since the beginning of the truce on November 24.

American request

For his part, National Security spokesman John Kirby said:White HouseCiting reports from the Israeli side, Israel agreed to resume allowing aid trucks to pass at the request of the United States.

But Kirby said that the number of trucks is likely to decrease to dozens per day instead of the hundreds of trucks that entered Gaza daily during the truce, stressing Gaza’s need for more aid, and considering that the decision to resume delivery of trucks after strict inspections “seems like a good sign moving forward.” “.

On Friday morning, a temporary truce between the Palestinian resistance factions and Israel ended, concluded with Qatari-Egyptian mediation, and lasted 7 days, during which prisoners were exchanged and humanitarian aid was brought into the sector, which is inhabited by about 2.3 million Palestinians.

Kirby carried the Islamic Resistance Movement (agitation) Responsibility for the collapse of the truce, and said, “Because of Hamas, this truce has ended. The responsibility lies with Hamas.”

A plan to protect civilians

In another context, a senior American official said yesterday On Friday, the United States is developing a plan with Israel to reduce the harm that may be caused to civilians in any military operation it launches in southern Gaza.

The official explained, following the visit of the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken To the region, the Israeli government agreed that the operations it launched in the south would be different from what it carried out in the northern Gaza Strip, and that its army would designate areas where civilians would not be harmed, he said.

The official, who requested anonymity, added that the United States expects that there will not be a large-scale attack on Khan Yunis and Rafah, as happened in Gaza City.

He pointed out that entire neighborhoods in southern Gaza would prevent fighting and would be safe for civilians, but he said that some residents might have to leave their homes in areas where Hamas fighters are stationed, he said.

He added that the United States will continue talks with Israel on how to implement these measures.

American officials say that Washington is urging Israel to narrow the scope of the combat zone and clarify the places where Palestinian civilians can take shelter in southern Gaza.

The day before yesterday, Thursday, Blinken said to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israeli military operations in southern Gaza must not cause massive civilian casualties or displacement, as happened during its offensive in the north.

The Israeli occupation forces returned to violently bombard the Gaza Strip yesterday, Friday, after the collapse of talks to extend the truce, causing the death and injury of hundreds of Palestinian civilians.

On October 7, Israel launched a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, leaving massive infrastructure destruction and tens of thousands of civilian casualties, most of them children and women, in addition to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to official Palestinian and UN sources.